MEANING
To examine and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and assumptions of a work or argument.
Use it for
evaluating literature; peer feedback; exposing hidden assumptionsPair criticism with criteria and evidence rather than disapproval alone.
Words that belong together
- critique a theory
- critique an argument
- constructively critique
On the page
The article critiques the assumption that market prices capture all social costs.
Students critiqued each other's drafts before submitting their essays.
To critique the theory fairly, first reconstruct its strongest version.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- critique / critiques
- Past tense
- critiqued
- Past participle
- critiqued
- Present participle
- critiquing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- critique / critiques
- Present continuous
- am/is/are critiquing
- Present perfect
- have/has critiqued
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been critiquing
- Past
- critiqued
- Past continuous
- was/were critiquing
- Past perfect
- had critiqued
- Past perfect continuous
- had been critiquing
- Future
- will critique / critiques
- Future continuous
- will be critiquing
- Future perfect
- will have critiqued
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been critiquing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic. Academic critique is not merely negative criticism. Also a noun for a critical evaluation; the selected primary POS here is verb. Verb inflections [base, third-person singular, past, past participle, -ing]: critique, critiques, critiqued, critiqued, critiquing. Derived family (not inflections): critical, critic; critique also functions as a count noun. Secondary count noun: singular critique; plural critiques.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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